Windows 10

Windows 10 is the Microsoft desktop operating system released in July 2015 as the successor to Windows 8.1 and the predecessor of Windows 11. It is built on the Windows NT kernel and was designed as a single platform for desktops, laptops and tablets, with a restored Start menu, a unified app model and a new servicing approach that Microsoft called Windows as a service.

Among the fundamentals of Windows, Windows 10 matters as the version that ran on the largest installed base of PCs for most of a decade. Mainstream editions reached end of support on October 14, 2025, which means they no longer receive free security updates, although paid Extended Security Updates and long-term servicing editions extend protection for some devices.

Windows as a service and the version history

Windows 10 replaced the old model of a major release every few years with continuous servicing. Microsoft shipped feature updates that added functionality, initially about twice a year and later once a year, plus monthly cumulative quality updates released on Patch Tuesday. Each feature update received a version label, and each version had its own support window, usually 18 months for Home and Pro and 30 months for Enterprise and Education fall releases.

The free upgrade offer for genuine Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users during the first year helped drive very fast adoption. The table below lists notable milestones.

Core features and architecture

Windows 10 combined the familiar desktop with elements of the touch-oriented Windows 8 interface. The Start menu returned with resizable live tiles beside the app list, and the Action Center collected notifications and quick settings. Task View added built-in virtual desktops, and Tablet mode adapted the interface for touch devices.

Under the surface, Windows 10 introduced virtualization-based security features such as Credential Guard, the Windows Hello biometric sign-in, DirectX 12 for games and the Universal Windows Platform app model distributed through the Microsoft Store. The original Edge browser used the EdgeHTML engine until it was replaced in 2020 by the Chromium-based Microsoft Edge.

Windows 10 also introduced mandatory diagnostic data collection at a basic level and automatic installation of updates on Home editions, which drew criticism from privacy advocates and administrators. Organizations responded with Windows Update for Business policies, WSUS and deferral settings to control when updates arrive, while home users gained the option to pause updates for a limited period in later versions.

Editions and their intended use

Windows 10 was sold in several editions that share the same core but differ in management, security and licensing features. Choosing the right edition affects domain membership, encryption options and how long a device can receive updates.

Windows 10 compared with Windows 11

Windows 11 is built on the same NT foundation, and most applications and drivers work on both. The decisive difference is hardware requirements: Windows 11 requires TPM 2.0, UEFI with Secure Boot capability and a supported processor generation, which left many otherwise working Windows 10 PCs ineligible for an official upgrade.

Eligible devices can move to Windows 11 through Windows Update as an in-place upgrade that keeps applications, files and the existing activation. The PC Health Check app reports which requirement a device fails, which is often only a disabled TPM or Secure Boot setting in the firmware rather than truly unsupported hardware.

End of support and the remaining options

End of support does not stop Windows 10 from starting or running, but new vulnerabilities are no longer fixed for unprotected devices, and software vendors gradually drop compatibility. For connected systems this becomes a growing security and compliance risk. The available paths are summarized below.

A frequent mistake is to assume that antivirus software alone keeps an unsupported system safe. Antivirus tools cannot patch flaws in the operating system itself, so an unpatched Windows 10 PC remains exposed even with current malware definitions.

In simple terms

Windows 10 is the version of Windows that most computers used from 2015 until the mid-2020s. Instead of buying a new version every few years, people received regular free improvements through updates.

Microsoft has now stopped the free safety repairs for most copies. The computer still works, but it is like a house whose locks are no longer replaced when someone finds a way to open them. Moving to Windows 11, paying for extra updates or replacing the computer keeps it protected.

A practical example

A dental practice runs eight Windows 10 Pro computers at reception and in treatment rooms. An inventory before October 2025 shows that five are eligible for Windows 11, while three have older processors that fail the requirements.

The practice upgrades the five eligible PCs after testing its scheduling and imaging software, then enrolls the three older machines in Extended Security Updates for one year while replacements are budgeted. Patient data stays on systems that still receive security fixes, and the practice avoids running unpatched computers on a network that handles health records.